[visionlist] postdoc position on GABAergic mechanisms of learning in mouse visual cortex (Cambridge, UK), apply by April 30

[Jasper Poort]

Dear visionlist members,

Please share the postdoc position below with anyone who might be interested (application deadline April 30).

Thanks, best wishes, Jasper
___________________________
Dr. Jasper Poort
Research Group Leader of Selective Vision Lab
www.pdn.cam.ac.uk/svl/<http://www.pdn.cam.ac.uk/svl/>
Wellcome Trust & Royal Society Sir Henry Dale Fellow / Assistant Professor
University of Cambridge
Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience
Physiological Laboratory
Downing Street
Cambridge CB2 3EG


Postdoctoral Research Associate (or Research Assistant) to study the role of inhibition in visual learning in mouse visual cortex
Apply here: https://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/34214/

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research associate position to study GABAergic mechanisms in mouse visual learning, based in the laboratories of Professor Ole Paulsen and Dr Jasper Poort (both Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience) at the University of Cambridge.
The successful candidate will investigate the role of GABAergic interneurons in visual learning. The project will combine long-term two-photon imaging of calcium and novel GABA sensors (collaboration with the lab of Loren Looger, UCSD) to establish the computational mechanisms of inhibitory control of visual cortical networks during learning. The project also uses electrophysiology and optogenetic and pharmacological manipulation of different cell types in visual cortical areas and decision-making brain areas to understand how mice learn visual decision-making tasks (collaboration with the labs of Chris Proctor and George Malliaras at the Dept of Engineering in Cambridge, to apply innovative ephys and drug-delivery probes).
Applicants should have completed (or be about to submit) a PhD (research associate) or Master's degree (research assistant) in neuroscience, biology, experimental psychology, engineering, or other relevant disciplines. We are looking for someone with previous experience in imaging/electrophysiology/optogenetics/pharmacology and behavioural training in rodents, and strong data analysis skills (e.g. Matlab or Python).
The research position is available from May 2022 for an initial 2-year period with the possibility of an extension for up to a further 3 years. For more information about the two labs see https://noggin.pdn.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.pdn.cam.ac.uk/svl/.

Informal enquiries about the position can be made to Jasper Poort ( jp816 at cam.ac.uk<mailto:jp816 at cam.ac.uk> ) and/or Ole Paulsen ( op210 at cam.ac.uk<mailto:op210 at cam.ac.uk> ).
In addition to the covering letter, CV, and contact details of 2 referees, applicants are asked to provide a brief statement (500 words) describing the questions and approach they consider important for the study of the role of cortical inhibition in visual learning and their future career ambitions.
The research activity is at the core of a new Wellcome Trust-funded Collaborative Award which brings together a cross-disciplinary team of international experts to investigate the role of GABAergic inhibition in regulating brain network dynamics for adaptive behaviour. The work programme bridges work across species (mice, humans) and scales (local circuits, global networks) to uncover the network and neurochemical mechanisms that support learning and brain plasticity. The work capitalises on cutting-edge methodological developments in our team: a) human and animal ultra high-field MR Spectroscopy and functional brain imaging (Emir lab, Purdue; Kourtzi and Sawiak lab, Cambridge), b) neuroengineering tools including optical GABA sensors (Looger lab: UCSD) and electrophoretic drug delivery devices (Proctor and Malliaras lab, Cambridge), cellular imaging, optogenetics, electrophysiology, neuropharmacology (Paulsen, Dalley, Poort labs, Cambridge; Rusakov lab: UCL).
This international collaborative network provides unique opportunities for cross-disciplinary training in innovative methodologies at the interface of animal and human neuroscience, neurotechnology and computational science. Successful applicants will be integrated in a diverse collaborative team and will have the opportunity to participate in workshops and retreats across the network as well as exchange visits across labs to facilitate cross-disciplinary training and collaborative working.
Closing date: 30th of April 2022
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Apply here: https://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/34214/

Background references:
1)            Poort, Jasper, Katharina A. Wilmes, Antonin Blot, Angus Chadwick, Maneesh Sahani, Claudia Clopath, Thomas D. Mrsic-Flogel, Sonja B. Hofer, and Adil G. Khan. 'Learning and Attention Increase Visual Response Selectivity through Distinct Mechanisms'. Neuron (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2021.11.016.
2)            Hay, Audrey, Nicolas Deperrois, Tanja Fuchsberger, Thomas Matthew Quarrell, Anna-Lucia Koerling, and Ole Paulsen. 'Thalamus Mediates Neocortical Down State Transition via GABAB-Receptor-Targeting Interneurons'. Neuron (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.030.
3)            Marvin, Jonathan S., Yoshiteru Shimoda, Vincent Magloire, Marco Leite, Takashi Kawashima, Thomas P. Jensen, Ilya Kolb, et al. 'A Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Sensor for in Vivo Imaging of GABA'. Nature Methods (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-019-0471-2 .
4)            Proctor, C. M, Slézia, A., Kaszas, A., Ghestem, A., Agua, I. del, Pappa, A.-M., Bernard, C., Williamson, A., Malliaras, G. G. Electrophoretic Drug Delivery for Seizure Control. Science Advances (2018), https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau1291

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://visionscience.com/pipermail/visionlist_visionscience.com/attachments/20220420/7f0e1934/attachment-0001.html>